Becoming a WI Policeman

Im currently in the running to become a cop in a WI city. I know that there are no provisions there for concealed carry. I strongly believe in the 2A however, and that that should be the only permit you need for any kind of carry. I would not want to arrest anyone and take their personal property (their firearm) for doing something they have a right to do. On the other hand, I would be getting paid to enforce the law, whether I agree with the law or not. How would i balance that out?

Im currently in the running to become a cop in a WI city. I know that there are no provisions there for concealed carry. I strongly believe in the 2A however, and that that should be the only permit you need for any kind of carry. I would not want to arrest anyone and take their personal property (their firearm) for doing something they have a right to do. On the other hand, I would be getting paid to enforce the law, whether I agree with the law or not. How would i balance that out?

Only you can answer that. If you apprehend someone who is carrying concealed but the circumstances have nothing to do with aggression and you don't nail him/her on illegal possession, you may find yourself in hot water. It's great that you want to be a LEO, but you have to reconcile the law with your own personal beliefs. If that's not possible where you are, either choose a different line of work or move to a state where the local laws are in step with your beliefs.

When you become an officer, you will swear an oath to uphold your state laws and the constitution of your state and the USA. Sometimes those laws and oaths are in conflict. If you are serious about being a police officer you must first of all obey the law.

I was on the job for 30 years and the only people I took guns from were those who had used, or were using them to commit crime. Even in my years in sunny S. Calif. dealing with armed honest, law abiding folks just never came up, except in those cases where they were used for self defense. In most states officers have a fair amount of discretion on how to proceed with a case. Use good judgment, be fair and treat people how you would like to be treated in similar circumstances.

Being a police officer should not prohibit you from working to change the law. If you are not already on-board, join a gun rights group (NRA, SAF, JPFO, GOA, etc.) and work to bring your state into the 21st century.

I wish you luck in your career and go home safely at the end of your shift, no matter what!

It pretty much seems that tolerance of OC here in Wisconsin depends on the municipality and the tolerance of the citizens.

It is beyond me why anyone would want to push OC in Wisconsin at this time when the citizens have CCW within their grasp. We still need the people to vote on the issue of CCW and IMHO now is not the time to push an OC agenda in the state. Bad press is not good for our CCW struggle.

I work at a firearm store/indoor range and a firearm must be cased unless there is a badge attached to it. It is hard to tell who is a friendly without the badge. Furthermore, it is important to follow range and safety rules and that is not possible with a holstered firearm. The action must remain open and the firearm must be completely unloaded until you are on the firing line.

If the department you work for mandates non tolerance for OC then you owe it to the citizens you are protecting to follow orders, because ultimately those orders are supported be the citizenry.

Im currently in the running to become a cop in a WI city. I know that there are no provisions there for concealed carry. I strongly believe in the 2A however, and that that should be the only permit you need for any kind of carry. I would not want to arrest anyone and take their personal property (their firearm) for doing something they have a right to do. On the other hand, I would be getting paid to enforce the law, whether I agree with the law or not. How would i balance that out?

Clip

First off good for you stepping up to be LEO.
Second I think this will be a good question to bring up to your fellow officers when youíre on the job. They will already know the particulars of the area and the people you will work for. I'm sure you will find other like minded officers and they will have already found the balance you will be looking for.
In other words donít spend too much time worrying about something that hasnít happened yet. Deal with what is in front of you now, getting on the force.

Good luck sir and let us know how it's going.

Jo

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When you become a law enforcement officer with arrest authority you automatically are givin the right to conceal carry off duty because of LEOSA- Law Enforcement Officer Safety Act (HR-218). I am a correctional officer with a very small scope of arrest authority and I am authorized to conceal carry without a permit. Its across all 50 states. You must obey all state laws and all gun free zones. But, when DC and Chicago had all out handgun bans I would have been able to conceal carry in those cities. Some people go the Ted Nugent route and become reserve police officers to retain law enforcement certification and conceal carry anywhere.

__________________كافر-INFIDEL

"The Marines I have seen around the world have, the cleanest bodies, the filthiest minds, the highest morale, and the lowest morals of any group of animals I have ever seen. Thank God for the United States Marine Corps." Eleanor Roosevelt, 1945

Discretion. Your best ally. It can also become your worst nightmare if misused.

Exercise common sense and good judgement and 99% of the job takes care of its self.

In 26+ years, I have arrested exactly one person for unlawfully carrying a weapon. I have encountered countless other people who needed an education on the law (and how to comply with it). These people were sent on their merry way better aware of the law and in compliance with said law.

You will find officers that are strict "letter of the law" types and others that are "spirit of the law" types. I tend to be a spirit kind of cop.

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In life, strive to take the high road....It offers a better field of fire.
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